Following the disputed presidential election results in December 2007, Nairobi erupted into communal violence. The city's informal settlements became flashpoints for ethnic and political violence, as supporters of competing candidates clashed, and grievances over land, economic opportunity, and political power exploded into violence.
Election Dispute and Trigger
The 2007 presidential election pitted incumbent Mwai Kibaki against opposition leader Raila Odinga. The announcement of results favoring Kibaki sparked immediate controversy, as many believed the election had been rigged. Opposition supporters, predominantly from Luo, Kalenjin, and other ethnic groups, took to the streets in protest. The government responded with security force violence, escalating the crisis.
Violence in Kibera and Mathare
Kibera became one of the worst violence hotspots, with ethnic militias attacking residents of different ethnic groups. Estimates suggest hundreds were killed in Kibera alone. Similarly, Mathare experienced intense violence with neighborhoods burning and residents fleeing. Both settlements saw their populations deeply divided along ethnic lines.
Displaced Persons
The violence displaced hundreds of thousands of Nairobi residents. Entire families fled informal settlements to safer areas or their ethnic homelands in the countryside. The trauma and displacement disrupted economic activity, education, and community life.
Causes and Context
The violence reflected underlying tensions: ethnic competition for resources and political power, resentment over past marginalization, control of informal settlement governance, and manipulation by political elites mobilizing supporters along ethnic lines. Kikuyu resentment over land alienation and economic dominance mixed with opposition group resentment over political exclusion and Luo underrepresentation in national government.
Long-term Trauma
The violence left lasting psychological trauma. Trust between ethnic groups deteriorated. Neighborhood cohesion fractured along ethnic lines. Years of peace-building efforts gradually reduced tensions, but scars remained.
Legal Accountability
The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecuted some perpetrators, though prosecution was controversial and ultimately concluded without major convictions.
See Also
Nairobi Timeline Nairobi Ethnic Mix Nairobi Economy Nairobi National Park Kikuyu Nairobi Colonial City